Tropical storm Helene missed Myrtle Beach but some areas can still expect flooding

Tropical Storm Helene jogged north on Monday, sparing the Myrtle Beach area with the worst of her impacts and inundating coastal North Carolina communities with torrential rains. But Mother Nature’s forces are still creating a nuisance for some residents of the Grand Strand this week.

On Monday evening, Hog Inlet overflowed its banks in the Cherry Grove section of North Myrtle Beach. For a few hours, the salt marsh rose to cover roads and wash under stilt homes in the coastal community. Trash cans - fortunately, emptied Monday morning- floated down the avenues.

Some drivers wisely detoured around flooded areas, while others drove their cars and golf carts through the salt water. Some residents warned drivers to slow down, fearing that the wakes of the vehicles might further damage homes.

The scenario plays out several times a year in coastal communities when celestial forces align to cause what are colloquially known as ‘King Tides’.

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) describes the term “King Tide” as “a non-scientific term used to describe the highest seasonal tides that occur each year.” The phenomenon occurs when the sun, moon, and early align during a full or new moon.

The latest full moon is Tuesday, Sept. 17, and most of the week is expected to have higher-than-average tides.

While most locals know to avoid saltwater-flooded roadways and move valuable items to higher ground during these events, sometimes visitors can be caught unaware of the impending flooding.

Nicholle Ford, Service Manager at Salty Fry’s Golf Carts in North Myrtle Beach warns that saltwater can ruin golf carts causing batteries to overheat - or even catch fire- and components to quickly freeze up. She said they’ve learned that trying to repair a golf cart that has been flooded never works, causing continued issues down the road.

As a result, she had a team of four workers removing all rental carts from Cherry Grove on Sunday. “It’s a huge issue,” she said, “but we try to stay ahead of it.”

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA, publishes daily tidal predictions at several sites along the Grand Strand. Long-term residents of communities like Cherry Grove, Garden City, Murrells Inlet, and Pawleys Island know to watch tide charts closely and to expect flooding when the tides are forecasted to approach six feet in these areas.

High onshore winds can push more water up local watersheds and exceed those predictions.

This week, the highest predicted tide for Cherry Grove is 6.35 feet on Friday morning, Sept. 20.